13 Character That Single-Handedly Ruined TV Shows, According To Reddit

When it comes to characters that ruined TV shows, the entire argument is both polarizing and opinionated. One person could absolutely hate seeing someone on a show and others could consider them their favorite character. It is impossible for TV shows to please everyone, but it is even harder when the debates grow to the point where one side absolutely hates one of the characters as a result. However, there are some characters who have notably more detractors than supporters, and a select few who are widely considered to have almost single-handedly ruined the show they’re in. These characters aren’t limited to any one genre or era either, with everything from 90s sitcoms to 2010s CW shows all containing some incredibly divisive fictional individuals.

Some characters are unpopular because of the actor portraying them, whereas with others the casting is irrelevant to the ire caused. It is up to the showrunners to figure out what to do in these cases, as sometimes the storyline outweighs a vocal minority who hates the character. However, in other cases, it might end up being time to cut the character completely from the show to salvage a franchise once the contentious character is gone. Whether the showrunners can salvage a hated character or cut them completely will often determine how much longer a show will air on TV. Of course, everyone has an opinion, and when it comes to Reddit, there are plenty of choices when it comes to characters that ruined tv shows, even if some of those characters are overwhelmingly popular with other fans.

1 Felicity – Arrow

The CW had a lot of characters from the different DC shows. While Flash was really an ensemble show with Barry Allen and his team, Arrow mostly focused on Oliver Queen and his group was more of a supporting cast. One of the most important Arrow characters was Felicity, who ended up as a love interest. While she was a popular character, not everyone liked seeing her and some considered her one of the characters that ruined tv shows. One Redditor wrote that Felicity ruined the show because she “resulted in the Black Canary, the Green Arrow’s primary love interest, being sidelined and killed off for one of the worst-written romance plots I’ve ever seen.”

2 Kate – Lost

The cast of Lost was massive, with several characters all getting to take turns at lead roles, and most of them getting their own flashbacks and flashforwards. However, three of the characters stood above the rest — Jack, Sawyer, and Kate. This created a love triangle, and that was honestly not what a lot of fans wanted to see, resulting in characters that ruined tv shows. Not only that, but it was Kate who took the brunt of their scorn, calling her the most boring of all the show’s leads. Redditor SerDire wrote, “I can name you five secondary characters that were way more interesting than her: Desmond, Ben, Daniel, Mr Eko, Richard.“

3 Spike – Buffy The Vampire Slayer

When Spike showed up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he was the best villain the show had ever seen. Instead of a pure evil demon, Spike was cool and carried himself like James Dean, but was still a bad guy who would kill anyone at the drop of a hat. However, he became too popular and ended up as a troubled antihero, taking away some of his swagger, and so Spike became one of the characters that ruined TV shows. According to Redditor sergiocamposnt said Spike was the “obvious” answer. “He was a cool villain on season 2, but literally everything the writers did to him from season 4 onwards made no sense. They forced so many dumb plots just because he was a popular character.“

4 Killian “Captain Hook” Jones – Once Upon A Time

A popular fantasy series, Once Upon a Time breathed life into renowned fairytale characters over the course of seven seasons while providing romance. When favored villain Killian Jones (Colin O’Donaghue) a.k.a. Captain Hook, became hero Emma Swan’s (Jennifer Morrison) love interest, fans were annoyed. Reddit user fheia784 feels that too much time was spent on the love story when “there were far more interesting characters and storylines.” Although Hook softening was a positive for the character, it stripped away the grittiness that was once so beloved. Captain Swan became such an integral focus that he derailed the rest of the show, and he ended up being considered one of the characters that ruined TV shows​​​​​​​ as a result.

5 Claire Dunphy – Modern Family

Modern Family broke the mold in the way of sitcom inclusivity for blended families. A kooky bunch of three generations, Reddit user everythinglatte feels that Dunphy family matriarch Claire gave off “too much of an ‘I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool wine mom’ vibe.” Seeing an Emmy-winning performance from Julie Bowen, Claire consistently came across as overly demonstrative towards the lives of her children and at times quite unappreciative of her husband Phil (Ty Burrell). While she wasn’t without redeeming qualities, Claire was one of the least popular characters, putting a damper on the show’s eclectic vibe.

6 Kate Pearson – This Is Us

Like Modern Family, This Is Us is a positive representation of the blended family dynamic with The Pearsons. In the way of Chrissy Metz’ Kate, Reddit user spacepunk17 expresses an extreme dislike, saying “great actress, especially in comedy, but an insufferable character.” Throughout the show, Kate was a character that projected her frustrations and insecurities onto others instead of committing to battling her demons, resulting in long-term damage to her marriage to Toby Damon (Chris Sullivan). While Kate Pearson did receive a happy ending, her continuous pessimism caused some fans to lose interest in the show.

7 Brenda Walsh – Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210 is a pinnacle of ’90s television and the teenage genre. Although an extremely popular show, this deleted Redditor didn’t like Shannen Doherty’s Brenda Walsh, saying “I don’t know why, I just couldn’t stand her.” Upon arriving in Beverly Hills, central deuteragonist Brenda quickly emulated her snobbish surroundings. While having an endearing start, Brenda became a very whiny and selfish character. Doherty’s constant fights with the cast and crew, combined with Brenda’s unlikeability, made her one of the characters that ruined tv shows. Unlike The O.C., Beverly Hills, 90210 was able to succeed once Brenda was written off.

8 Marissa Cooper – The O.C.

Reddit user drHobbes88 feels that “Marissa on The O.C.” is one of the characters that ruined tv shows. Fox’s teen drama is an excellent example of a series not living up to a stellar debut season. Played by Misha Barton, Marissa Cooper’s inconsistent character development and on-again/off-again relationship with Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie) led the main romance to be centered around compelling supporting characters Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson). Unlike Beverly Hills, 90210, killing off the female lead was not the Uno reverse card that Fox craved, with The O.C. catching its final television wave in 2007 with season 4.

9 Dr. Tara Knowles-Teller – Sons of Anarchy

One of the best shows to never win an Emmy, Sons of Anarchy is a biker drama inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Maggie Siff wonderfully played neonatal surgeon Dr. Tara Knowles, the Ophelia to Jax Teller’s (Charlie Hunnam) Hamlet. With that being said, Reddit user HappyDaze84 feels that Tara “deserves to win” the title of show-ruining character. The deeper Tara fell into the world of SAMCRO, the more she lost her independence, becoming a hindrance for Jax. Her ultimate death at the hands of Gemma Teller (Katey Segal) ended up serving as a turning point for the latter, thus affecting the show.

10 Cosmo Kramer – Seinfeld

The characters of Seinfeld were the centerpiece of hilarious writing, which is why it is one of the best sitcoms of all time. However, not every character was loved by the masses. Reddit user tsiskay “hated Kramer, with a passion.” Despite winning actor Michael Richards an impressive three Primetime Emmy Awards, Cosmo Kramer’s slapstick yet zany humor created an oddball character with very few redeeming qualities. As the show continued, he would range from overly obnoxious to absolute cringe, seeing little to no character development and becoming one of the characters that ruined tv shows.

11 Fez – That ’70s Show

Since its 1998 debut, That ’70s Show is still a comfort show for millennials with its talented cast and relatable humor. The group had collectively good chemistry, but Reddit user STAlexFree feels Wilmer Valderrama’s Fez is a character that seems so “out of place with the overall feel of the show.” An acronym for “foreign exchange student,” Fez’s same running gags and one-liners lost their novelty as the seasons progressed, becoming one of the characters that ruined tv shows. Suffering from a lack of character development, having the series end with Fez and Jackie (Mila Kunis) as a couple destroyed That ’70s Show for many of its fans.

12 Rachel Berry – Glee

Starting off as an ensemble piece, musical-dramedy Glee would see Lea Michele’s Rachel Berry becoming the overall focus in later seasons. Despite her immense talents, Rachel is someone fans feel is one of the characters that ruined tv shows, with this Reddit user saying she’s “arrogant and just the worst.” Similar to Shannen Doherty before her, Michele’s negative on-set behaviors proved to be off-putting for fans. Rachel’s continuous narcissism provided a spotty character development, which made her starring role in the show’s New York arc feel overwhelming and undeserved.

13 Robert California — The Office

Having a modest 81% RT score, Outstanding Comedy Emmy winner The Office would see a shakeup when lovable loser Michael Scott was written off in season 7. Steve Carrell’s departure led to the introduction of eventual Dundler Mifflin CEO Robert California. A deleted Redditor felt that California’s unpredictability was “more of a ‘writers don’t know how to characterize him’ style“. A fantastic performance from James Spader, Robert California’s creepy demeanor and odd presence were unappealing, creating a noticeable divide in character camaraderie, resulting in one of the worst characters that ruined tv shows. Unable to recover after writing Spader off in season 8, The Office ended with season 9.